The Hundred: Oval Invincibles clinch back-to-back titles with commanding 17-run win over Southern Brave

London: The Oval Invincibles cemented their dominance in The Hundred by securing their second consecutive title with a 17-run victory over Southern Brave in the final at The Lord’s.

Set a target of 148, Southern Brave started confidently but crumbled under pressure, collapsing from a promising 58-0 to a dismal 102-7, as the Invincibles’ bowlers turned the tide in a dramatic fashion. The star performers with the ball were Australia’s Adam Zampa and England’s Saqib Mahmood.

Zampa broke the opening partnership and Mahmood delivered a match-defining spell, ripping through Brave’s middle order with three wickets in seven balls.

The chase had begun brightly for the Brave with Alex Davies and James Vince putting on 58 for the first wicket. Davies looked dangerous, scoring 35 from 23 balls, but his dismissal to Zampa triggered a collapse. Vince, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, contributed 24 but fell to a crucial intervention from Will Jacks, who had earlier set the tone for the Invincibles with a quickfire 37 off 22 balls.

The Invincibles’ innings was a collective effort, with no standout performance but valuable contributions from several players. Sam Curran and Jordan Cox chipped in with crucial knocks of 25 each, while Tom Curran’s late cameo of 24 from just 11 balls pushed the total to 147. Tymal Mills was the pick of the Brave bowlers, taking 3-33 and providing key breakthroughs, but the Invincibles kept finding ways to rebuild.

Brave’s chase seemed well on track with their strong opening stand, but once the partnership was broken, the wickets tumbled rapidly. Saqib Mahmood’s burst saw him clean up Leus du Plooy, Kieron Pollard, and Laurie Evans in quick succession, leaving Brave in tatters. From that point, the Invincibles never looked back, controlling the game with clinical precision.

Zampa, who ended the tournament as the joint-leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps alongside Mills, was instrumental yet again. His consistency and knack for breaking partnerships proved decisive in the final. Mahmood, playing just his fifth game of the tournament, delivered when it mattered most, ensuring that the Invincibles never lost their grip on the match.

Brief scores:

Oval Invincibles 147 for 9 in 100 deliveries (Will Jacks 37, Sam Curran 25; Tymal Mills 3-33, Akeal Hossein 3-34) beat Southern Brave 130 for 7 in 100 deliveries (Alex Davies 35, James Vince 24; Saqib Mahmood 3-17, Adam Zampa 2-26) by 17 runs.

–IANS